


Rookie Mistake

by ForgettableFox



Series: Trope Bingo! [3]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Noir, Cyberpunk, Detective, cyborg, scifi, trope bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 17:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30058758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgettableFox/pseuds/ForgettableFox
Summary: This oneshot is the third in an anthology series focused around popular tv tropes.Inuyasha, a cyborg PI who just got put on his first case, is hired to find a missing woman. Things go awry the further into the case he gets. But he’s determined to solve it, no matter what it may cost him...
Series: Trope Bingo! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205084
Comments: 9
Kudos: 3
Collections: /r/FanFiction Trope Bingo Events





	Rookie Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello Readers! This Trope Bingo is just a plethora of firsts! Gonna give a scifi noir style first person crime drama a try (phew, that’s a mouthful)! 
> 
> It’s written in stream of consciousness so everything is from Detective Inuyasha’s perspective! 
> 
> Here we go!  
> ENJOY!

This city is a damn shithole. Dreary. Constantly pissin’ rain. People walking through it like zombies; the latest media and ads downloaded right into their brain via implants. Doesn’t stop the corporate big wigs from blastin’ personalized ads all over the walls, the sky – disgustin’. It’s an endless jungle of concrete, neon, and pain. Junkies on every corner cracked out on the latest drug to hit the streets – shit they’re callin’ ‘jewel’. Stuff seemed to appear overnight, now the whole city is addicted.

I had left my position working under my brother as a security guard to pursue my passion – private investigating. Got my first call from a woman who said she had a gig for me. Said she wanted to meet at my office after midnight. I thought it suspicious, but who am I to say no to a dame.

I trudge through the streets, hat pulled low, trench coat collar high, to try and avoid some of the misery. Hovercars line the skies – how there’s traffic at this late an hour is beyond me – and their pulsin’ heat signatures is like a sword to my brain. I need to remember to update my core processors next time I shut down. A crowd of people are blockin’ my path and I wade through them.

“- and you too can find salvation! The Church of the Shikon takes on any disciple willing to leave technology behind and move closer to divinity! Move away from sin and join your Brothers and Sisters in reshaping the world! The Prophet Lady Kikyo welcomes all willing to make a positive change in their lives!”

I scoff as I elbow my way past. The Church of the Shikon has been infiltrating the city for years and anyone with half a brain sees it’s less of a religion and more of a cult. A group of crazies who shun technology and want to move toward a more ‘pure’ life. It’s a bunch of bullshit if you ask me. Then again, half of me is _all_ technology. I used to be special forces, but after gettin' blown apart from a razor bomb during the rebellion on Mt. Hakurei – the farthest planet in the Western Youkai Quadrant – doctors took the liberty of doin’ some _improvements_. I left the military not soon after, then hired by my bastard of a brother until I could get back on my feet.

I cross the street into the red-light district. Robots and massive 3D signs of naked women fuckin’ are all over the place – tryin’ to lure the zombies in to ‘have a good time’ some ‘pay to play’ action if ya catch my drift. If it weren’t for the cheap rent in the area, I’d move elsewhere. As it stands, it’s the best I got. I was surprised to see an attractive woman waitin’ outside my office, umbrella in hand.

Long raven hair. Ocean blue eyes. Face like an angel.

I knew she was trouble the moment I saw her.

“Are you the lead detective I spoke to over comm? Tessaiga Private Investigators, right?”

Lead and _only_ investigator, but she don’t have to know that.

“Yeah - that’s me. Let’s getchya out of the rain.”

I tap my bionic arm against the keypad and open the door. We head inside. Place is pretty empty. A desk. Two chairs. My terminal. I close the door behind her and flick on the light. The single bare bulb that hangs from the middle of the ceiling flashes a few times before it catches. She shakes her umbrella out and ties her hair into a wet, high ponytail revealing the slender column of her neck.

I suddenly get the hype behind vampires, because I want to take a bite.

“I appreciate you meeting me at such a late hour Mr. -”

I blink rapidly, tryin’ to focus and say, “Feh, no Mr. anythin' - just Inuyasha.”

“Alright then, Inuyasha.” She smiles and it’s like lookin’ at the sun. I shift my eyes away.

I take off my soaked coat and hat and hang them on the peg next to the door. Then I walk to my chair and sit. I tell her to do the same. She stares at me for a moment before takin’ off her coat and hangin’ it on the empty peg beside mine. She’s wearin’ red high waisted pants and a white blouse with billowing sleeves. Purple prayer beads peppered with fangs and a pink jewel in the middle is around her neck. She’s one of the crazies from the Church of the Shikon. My guard goes up immediately. She sits hesitantly, observing me, and I know what the broad’s gonna ask before it even leaves her vixen lips.

“You’re a cyborg?”

I sigh. “That gonna be a problem? I see you’re a disciple of the Church.”

She smiles piously. “No - no problem. If anything, it may help.”

People can usually tell that I’m a cyborg when they see my eyes. They were blown completely out of my skull, so the docs put in a few implants instead. The mini-computers are connected right into my brain and shine brightly – probably doesn’t help that they’re golden in color too. My left arm and both my legs are bionic, as are most of my insides. Sometimes I wonder if I was ever fully human to begin with or maybe I was built a robot with human memories downloaded into my server.

Either way, life is fuckin’ miserable.

To add to my oddity, whatever hormone and synthetic or whatever injections they did, caused my hair to go silver and my fingernails on my right hand to grow into claws. I keep my hair in a military buzz cut and I hope the silver just gives me a more _distinguished_ look. But by the way people behave when they see me, you’d think I was a fuckin’ demon.

“So, you didn’t tell me any details about yourself or this case. Fill me in and I’ll see if I even take the job or not.”

“Well, you already know that I’m part of the Church of the Shikon, I’m High Priestess of the order – Priestess Kagome, Head Disciple directly beneath our Savior and Prophet, Lady Kikyo.” She chews her bottom lip and I never had the urge to be flesh up until now. “The reason I came to you was because my Sister Sango is missing.”

“Sister as in blood relation or as in cult – I mean, _Church_.” I plug myself into the terminal through a cable in my bionic arm. It begins to transcribe the conversation as I hear it.

“As in _Church_ ,” she says kindly, pullin’ out a photo and handin’ it to me.

It’s been a long time since I held a physical picture and I marvel briefly at the texture. Girl in the photo – Sister Sango – is almost as lovely as the kitten before me. She has long dark brown hair with fluffy bangs, her eyes are mahogany and her face is soft, young – couldn't be any older than early twenties. She’s smiling up at the camera and I wonder briefly if it was taken with an old school film deal or an actual digital one.

“And what makes you think she’s missin’?”

The doll reaches into her other pocket and pulls out another set of prayer beads, this one doesn’t have a jewel in the center though. She sets it on the desk between us.

“And this is?”

“My Sister’s rosary, she never goes anywhere without out. I found it on the floor outside of her room three days ago.”

My golden eyes narrow and I scan her. Vitals come back normal. Breathing is even. She’s tellin’ the truth.

“Alright, and what makes ya think she’s _actually_ missin’ though? I’m sure people leave the Church all the time and that don’t mean it’s under suspicious circumstances.”

“True, but Sister Sango was one of the most devout followers of the order. She wouldn’t have left without at least saying goodbye. She had been acting strangely the week prior – jumpy, paranoid. I was concerned, but when I asked her what was wrong– she said ‘nothing’...then disappeared the next day.”

Her eyes start to water and I look around for something to offer her. I ain’t got much though, so I watch uncomfortably as she wipes at her eyes with the heel of her palm.

“Have you filed a missin’ person’s report with the police?”

“No, I haven’t...That’s actually why I came to you. The Church has a – reputation – to uphold. We don’t want to get the police involved unless absolutely necessary, it’s just bad optics.” She chews on her bottom lip again and god damn if I don’t want to lean her back and do it for her. Something about the innocent dame act she has goin’ on is really doin’ it for me.

“Anything else you can tell me? Does she have any enemies? Any reason to think foul play?”

More tears spill from her ocean blues and she buries her face in her hands. “No! I can’t think of anything. I’m so worried for her! Please Inuyasha, is there anything you can do to help?” Her hands have dropped in prayer as she begs, and I sigh heavily, palming the back of my neck.

I never could say no to a wench in need. Especially one who begs so devoutly.

“I’ll take the case, after we discuss my rate. I charge two-hundred and fifty credits a day to cover any expenses that may come up. I take a thousand up front and thousand once I’ve solved the case. Got a problem with that?”

I’m charging her way more than my standard fee, because she didn’t give me much to go on. I’m hoping she decides to decline based on the price alone. So, it catches me by surprise when she says, “Consider it done! I’ll have the money sent to your office by morning. Thank you so much!”

She stands and comes around the desk, pulling me into a hug. But from the difference in our height, she pulls my head into her chest and suddenly – my face is buried in her softness. She smells like damp camellias and lilies. Usually, I would attribute those scents to a funeral home, but on her – it smells _divine_.

I fight back the blush and I can feel my motherboard go into overdrive. She releases me and says, “You have my number, let me know if you find _anything_.”

She glides across the room and starts puttin’ on her coat, but I stop her by askin’, “Hey, quick question – if you’re part of the Church, how come you can use a comm? I thought they considered _all_ technology a sin.”

The High Priestess grins broadly, like a cat-who-ate-the-canary, and her eyes take on an almost fervent sheen, “Oh, that’s just a common misconception about the Church of the Shikon. We’re not against _all_ technology. It’s apparent that in this day and age, you can’t get around using some. We’re just against tech that infiltrates your body. It corrupts you, corrupts the soul. That’s what creates sin.”

“Huh, then I guess I’m a sinner of the highest degree,” I joke with a laugh.

She looks at me pityingly, “Yes, perhaps you are.” And then she opens the door and her umbrella and disappears into the hellhole of the city.

I unplug myself from the terminal, looking over our conversation to see if she might have said something that I originally missed. That’s when I notice the prayer beads she forgot on my desk. I pick them up and do a cursory scan with my enhanced optics. I’m shocked when I find that one of the fangs has a heat signature. I run a claw over it until it catches on a fine seam. I open it and recognize the micro-computer immediately for what it is. I twist my bionic arm wrist side up, and set the fang computer on top of it, downloading the contents. My eyes scan the data that’s scrolling up my retinas.

It’s a calendar.

Looks like Sister Sango has an appointment for the 27th at 1000 at INU Inc., that’s tomorrow. It ain’t much but it’s a place to start. I yawn and that’s when my comm starts to ring. I see it’s my brother and I ignore it – letting it go to voicemail. It autoplays once he’s done.

_“Inuyasha, you haven’t answered your phone in nearly three weeks. I am beginning to become concerned. I know you’ve been having glitches as of late with your programming, I already spoke with Dr. Shippo and he has a solution. But we cannot fix anything if you don’t Call. Me. Back!”_

Bastard. He never could leave things well enough alone.

~oooOooo~

It’s morning.

Didn’t realize I passed out at the office. Lookin’ at the clock on my bionic arm display, I panic when I see it’s 0927. My alarm didn’t go off again. Fuckin’ out of date software. It’ll take me at least thirty minutes to get downtown and that’s _if_ I can find a hovertaxi in time _and_ don’t hit the morning rush hour traffic.

I see an envelope under the door that has a credit stick inside. All the credits we agreed upon last night are on it and I download them into my account. Then, I scramble out of the office, pullin’ on my damp coat and hat as I lock up. More fuckin’ rain. It doesn’t seem to stop. The wind whips through the street and the red-light district is busy even at this hour. Disgustin’ degenerates. Druggies line the alleyways, beggin’ for cash so they can get more jewel. Filthy vagrants.

I hail a hovertaxi at the adjacent street and am shocked when one actually lands. Hell, I may make it to the appointment in time. I climb into the back of the hovertaxi and the robot takes my address and my credits without even a ‘good morning’ - fuckin’ toasters. It reeks of stale piss and the seats are disgustin’, but I deal with it. No traffic – thank fuck. We land a little way down the street with minutes to spare.

Imagine my surprise when I get out of the hovertaxi and actually _see_ the missin’ girl. She looks nervous as she weaves through the crowd. Keeps lookin’ back behind her as she walks. I hurry to catch up to her, calling “Sister Sango!” as I near. She hears me, mahogany eyes growin’ wide and fearful, and she takes off through the streets. God damnit she’s fast. She sprints right by INU Inc. and heads down a side alley. I’m hot on her heels.

“Stop! Wait! I just want to talk!”

She crosses to another alley, this one far darker than the previous one, and I’m desperate to catch up with her. Right as I reach the alley mouth, I hear footsteps and a scream – things go black.

~oooOooo~

I wake up to the whirling of my processors coming back online. Did I pass out? I feel like someone bashed me upside the head, but I can’t be sure. There’s no blood, no mark, but I feel dizzy. Groggy. I’m entirely drenched and check my clock – 1227. Shit, I’ve been out of it for over two hours. Broad is probably long gone. I wobble as I stand, joints stiff as they reboot. I stumble down the alley to see if maybe she left any clues...and she did...the biggest clue of all –

Her corpse.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I grit my teeth. Sister Sango has dark blue bruises around her neck – strangled. Her eyes are bulged nearly from her sockets. Wide. Fearful. Sightless. Another dead thing joining the ranks of this fuckin’ tainted city. I scroll through my contact list until I find Priestess Kagome’s number. She answers on the second ring, chipper voice sounding like an angel and I hate that I’m the bearer of bad news.

_“Good afternoon, Inuyasha! I hope the credits made it into your account.”_

“Yeah - they sure did. Hey, listen, I – uh – I have some bad news.”

_“About Sister Sango?”_

“Yeah....”

_“Is everything alright? Have you found her?”_ Her voice goes up an octave and I can hear the panic startin’ to creep in. I can’t stand it when doll’s cry.

“I have, and – and I’m sorry, Priestess. Sister Sango is dead.”

I expected her cry of anguish, but actually hearin’ it ricochet through my brain is another story. She’s sobbin’, cryin’ her damn eyes out. I feel like a total piece of shit for bein’ the cause. And suddenly, this case takes on new meanin’. It went from bein’ a missin’ person’s case...to a murder.

And whoever did it was probably the one who knocked me out.

“Kagome, the situation is gettin’ serious – I gotta ask again...Did Sister Sango have any enemies? Or maybe someone she was close to? A confidant?”

She sniffles pitifully and I just want to take her up into my arms and kiss the sadness away. I can hear her wipin’ her nose and she takes a stuttering breath. _“I don’t know about enemies...but she was close to Brother Miroku. A monk within the order.”_

Another looney of the cult – I mean, _Church_. But it was the only lead I had, so I gotta follow it.

“Mind sendin’ me his info to my comm? I’ll check it out and see if it leads to anythin’...and Priestess – I'm sorry.”

_“Thank you, Inuyasha,”_ she sobs into my head. _“And please, be careful. I’m worried this may be more serious than I originally thought.”_

“Don’t worry about me, toots. I’ll be fine.” She doesn’t have to know that someone knocked me out to get to her Sister. That fact wouldn’t do anything but worry her. She ends the call and a few seconds later I get the Brother’s info. I call him as I stand above the body of his friend.

_“Hello?”_

Guy picks up the phone and he sounds nervous. I make a note and put him under the ‘suspicious persons’ category in my mental log.

“Uh - Hi, is this Brother Miroku?”

_“It is,”_ he says warily.

“My name is Detective Inuyasha and I work for Tessaiga Private Investigators. I was recently put on a missin’ person’s case for one, Sister Sango – I was told that the two of you were close and you may be able to answer some of my questions.”

_“Oh Prophet – she’s actually missing? I’ve been trying to call her for days. Things are moving too quick – they're getting too out of control. I told her she should just drop it – that there would be serious consequences for her actions. Ever since she came and spoke to me, I think someone’s been following me!”_

“Hey, hey – slow down – you know why she ran?”

_“Yes, I believe I do. And I’d be willing to share everything with you! Sister Sango left me a hard drive with all the information she discovered...What she told me – it could bring down the Church. I’m surprised you haven’t found her dead yet with what she knew.”_ He’s frantic and I can hear him pacing wherever he’s at.

“Brother, I’m sorry to break it to you – but I did find her dead. Looks like someone got to her before she could share her information.”

His voice goes quiet. So does his feet. His prayer is a murmur into my head, _“May the Prophet Lady Kikyo usher our poor Sister’s soul into her divine embrace. Amen.”_

The prayer makes me uneasy, and I say a clipped, “Amen” because it seems kinda rude not too when you’re standin’ over a corpse. “Can you meet me today? Bring the hard drive?”

He hesitates and I hear a rustling of papers. _“I’m sorry, but I can’t - I have mission duties this evening. The hospitals are being overrun with jewel users and the Church has offered aide in return of being able to preach to the downtrodden. But I can meet you tomorrow? Say 11 a.m. outside the Spicy Kitsune Kitchen?”_

“The ramen shop in the Asian District?”

_“Yeah, that’s the one – they have an alcove around the back that’d be perfect – inconspicuous. You have to take a side alley to get there.”_

“Alright, I‘ll meet you there. Keep your nose clean until we can meet. Don’t tell anyone else what you know and don’t forget the hard drive.”

_“I won’t. May the Shikon no Tama bring light into the darkness, relieve us of our demons, and grant our wishes during this trial of tribulation.”_

“Sure, sure.” 

I disconnect and put the appointment in my calendar – makin' sure that my alarm is set for the next day. If what this guy says is true, well – this could be a once in a lifetime case! I look down at the corpse and start running my forensics protocol. That’s when things get really interesting...

I mumble into the rain, “Why would a Sister of the Church of the Shikon – have a fuckin’ implant imbedded in her skull. I thought they removed those when they join the Church.” I crouch in front of her and pull a connector from my bionic arm to attach it to the implant port behind her ear. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to download her memories to run analysis on.

Unfortunately for me, I’m less lucky than a cow on its way to slaughter – the data is corrupted. Everything, with the exception of her final moments, has been wiped clean. And even those last few minutes of her pleadin’ with her attacker – their entire being is redacted in the memory, just a blurry outline. Shit.

Whoever the fucker is who did this, they’re good.

Real good.

I unplug and leave the alley in my rearview, sendin’ an anonymous tip to the coppers so they can take care of this mess. I don’t wanna be involved. I head back to the office, sloggin’ through the zombies in their mindless state. Night is well on its way and I want to get back before the gangs see a lone cyborg on their turf. I’d hate to be stripped of my parts – I've grown kinda fond of ‘em. My phone rings – it's my bastard brother again. I let it go to voicemail. It autoplays.

_“Inuyasha! I’m serious. Call me back or meet me at the club. This is getting ridiculous. At least turn your GPS back on so I can see that your alive and well.”_

Fuck ‘em - he ain’t the boss of me.

~oooOooo~

I wake up. Groggy. Disoriented. I check the time. 1127. Fuck, I’m late. Why the fuck didn’t my alarm go off? I fell asleep at my desk again. It’s startin’ to become an uncomfortable habit. I can’t even remember the last time I went home. I hurry out the door to make it to the _Spicey Kitsune Kitchen._ Hopefully Brother Miroku decided that his information was important enough to wait for. It’s gloomy. Pissin’ rain. My head is killin’ me and I would do anything for a heavy-duty painkiller and cup o’ mud.

1203 and I’m skiddin’ through the Asian district to the ramen shop. I have to take a side alley to make it to the alleged alcove in the back. It’s well off the beaten trail from the packed sidewalks of the main street. And honestly, if he wouldn’t have told me where to go – I'd have no idea it was even back here. There’s a reek of rotten food, kimchi, and stinkin’ wet alley that has me wrinklin’ my nose as I run. I slide to a stop, water sprayin’ in all directions as my feet skid.

I run my clawed hand down my face, pinchin’ the bridge of my nose as I see what’s waitin’ for me in the alcove. I was relieved that Brother Miroku waited for me...but not like this.

Another dead body. Strangled. I know it’s him and not some other schmuck because he’s wearing monk robes of the Church. Prayer beads the same as Sister Sango around his neck.

Before I call High Priestess Kagome, I do my forensics scan. Well, well, well - another implant. And shit. It’s also corrupted – same as the Sister’s. This is bad. My missin’ person’s case now has two dead bodies and an implied conspiracy. I search his pockets for the alleged hard drive and – hot damn! – he actually brought it. The killer must not have known he had it on him. I shove it in my coat pocket and am about to give Priestess Kagome a call – when my comm rings – it's her.

“Inuyasha here,” I say reluctantly. I hate that I gotta inform the lady that another one of her flock is dead.

_“Oh! Thank the Prophet that you answered! I’m worried...I was supposed to meet with Brother Miroku this afternoon but he didn’t show. He said that he had something important to share, a hard drive? I’m scared that something happened to him – scared that something might happen to me!”_ Her voice has more quivers than an archery tournament. She’s terrified. Means she has good instincts.

I leave the alcove and alley and melt back in with the crowd. Rain batters indiscriminately from above, trying to drown out the rats that scurry about their business. “Priestess - I hate to tell you this, but someone got to Brother Miroku. I have the hard drive that he mentioned, said it had important information on it. Important enough to kill.”

She gasps. _“No! Brother Miroku! Sister Sango!”_ She’s sobbin’ again. It’s been a rough 72 hours for the dame. _“Inuyasha...I’m so scared, what should I do?”_

I pass another alley where druggies are shootin’ up with jewel. Their eyes glimmer pink and they fall bonelessly against the wall – pathetic. “Meet me at my office as soon as you can, Priestess. We’ll look over the hard drive together and come up with a game plan from there.”

_“Thank you, Inuyasha. Thank you.”_

I hurry with the rats to make it back to my office. I’d hate to find myself in the same predicament as my missin’ person and primary lead. Bein’ a dead thing never looked good on anyone.

~oooOooo~

It’s night.

The city is lit like a beacon, callin’ all the sinners out to play. I’m soaked through and feel grateful I can turn the sensation down in my feet. Ain’t nothin’ worse than wet socks in drenched boots. I enter the red-light district, ignore the giant ad of a broad and a well-endowed bot fuckin’, and reach my office. I go to touch the keypad only to find the door already unlocked. I look inside. It’s darker than hell in there except for the stunted glow from the terminal. I step inside, nervous, and flick on the light. The bare bulb flickers before it catches and casts the room in its pitiful glow.

“Priestess? How’d you get inside?” I shut the door and stand awkwardly in the middle of the room. Coat drippin’ on the floor.

The wench is sittin’ in my chair, typin’ on my terminal. She smiles sweetly as I enter, but doesn’t respond. Just keeps typin’.

“Kagome? I have the hard drive - we should probably –” I dig in my pocket, but can’t find the hard drive anywhere. I check the other pocket – nada. I’m pattin’ myself everywhere but can’t find the damn thing.

The Priestess looks up and holds somethin’ in the air for me to see.

It’s the hard drive.

“How the –”

“Initiate Protocol: Sierra Whiskey Oscar Romeo Delta – Passcode: Wind Scar.”

I feel my body freeze as my free will is overridden. I try to work my comm, but I’m locked out. Fuck! I stare wide eyed as she finishes typin’ and comes to stand in front of me. She takes off my hat and places it on the desk. I can hear my heart beat in my ears.

“What the fuck did you do to me?” I slur. I’m havin’ difficulties movin’ my mouth.

“I’ve taken control of your body. One of the few beauties of technology, I suppose.” She smiles magnanimously and pats my cheek. “And I want to thank you, Inuyasha, for all the hard work you put into this case. Really, you saved me a ton of time and trouble and I’m appreciative. You're just the last loose end to tie off.”

“What are you even sayin’? Nothin’ comin’ out of your damn mouth is makin’ any sense!” I’m panickin’, tryin’ to override the system controls with my admin key, but nothin’ is workin'. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

“I guess there’s no harm in sharing – since these are your final moments. It’s the least I can do to grant a sinner such as yourself a last request.” She walks backward until she’s perched comfortably on the edge of my desk. Ocean blues near manic.

“You see, the hard drive has information connecting the Church of the Shikon to the jewel manufactures in the outer bounds. We’re the primary funder of the drug and pay to have it imported into the city. The more downtrodden within the city, the more possible devotees to the Prophet Lady Kikyou. And more devotees, means more money to the Church – from the flock, and through government subsidies and grants. It also helps that we override all implants when we do the ‘removal procedure’. Essentially, it lets us control their thoughts – their urges. Push them in the direction of salvation! Ensure that they never fall out of grace!” She’s nearly shakin’ with religious fervor and I wonder how I missed the crazed gleam in her eyes to begin with.

This kitten had claws all along and I was too stuck on her innocence to notice them gougin’ my damn eyes out.

“So, what the hell did you need me for?” I bark, patience wearin’ thin.

“It’s simple really - I needed you as a scape goat. I knew of Sister Sango’s plan to take the information to INU Inc. - the pharmaceutical company. She had been working on an antidote to jewel for some time now, and finally succeeded. Once she realized we were actually _creating_ the drug, she wanted to get her work in production as soon as possible to undermine the Church. What a surprise it must have been to see the cyborg stalking her for weeks, showing up at her appointment and killing her.”

“Weeks? That’s the first time I’ve seen the Sister. And no way in hell did I kill her! Someone knocked me out before I even had a chance to talk to her!”

A mischievous grin, “Are you sure about that? Initiate Protocol: Sierra Lima Alpha Yankee Echo Romeo – Passcode: Hiraikotsu.”

I stiffen as buried memories come to the surface.

Me – followin' Sister Sango through the streets. Lettin’ her catch glimpses of me. Scarin’ her. For two weeks this goes on. That’s why she took off when she heard me callin’ her name.

Me – chasin' her down the alley. Ignorin’ her as she begged and pleaded for mercy. She screams. I’m stranglin’ her.

Me – corruptin' her implant. Then shuttin’ down in the mouth of the alley. The footsteps and her scream I heard – reverb from my own corrupt memory.

Me – stalkin’ Brother Miroku the same as Sister Sango.

Me – wakin' up early to meet with the Brother. I’m in the alcove before he even gets there. He’s terrified. I strangle him and place him in the alcove. Corrupt his implant. Hurry back to the office and shut down.

Me – sittin' at a skeezy bar, knockin’ back drinks. A beautiful woman with long, raven hair and deep ocean blues comes up to me. She’s touchin’ my shoulder, my thigh, whisperin’ in my ear. Says she doesn’t care that I’m a cyborg. Takes me home with her. People in robes are waitin’ for us. They strap me to a gurney and wheel me into a dark room. It’s 0227. They hook me up to computers and my brain feels like it’s splittin’ in two. I scream and scream until my throat is filled with blood and I want to vomit.

Me – tellin' my brother I want to be P.I.. Quittin’ on the spot. Leavin’ my apartment without a backward glance. Livin’ out the office. The time jumps. Mornin’. Night. Mornin’. Not rememberin’ what day it is. Fuck.

“You - you kidnapped me! Brainwashed me! You’ve been controllin’ me all along!”

She claps and smiles like I’m the smartest fuckin’ kid in class. “Yes, that’s right. We needed someone untraceable to the Church. Someone who would be – easily manipulated. A cyborg was a prime candidate since they are ultimate sin incarnate. You just so happened to be at the wrong place, at the right time, Inuyasha. Nothing personal.” She shrugs, nonchalant. Like every day she steals people away and brainwashes them – which, I guess is true.

“You fuckin’ bitch! What now, huh?! You gonna call the cops, blame the murders on me?”

She laughs, the sound is delicate, sweet. I want to wrap my hands around her throat and strangle her the same way she had me strangle the Brother and Sister.

“Close, but not quite. You’re the final piece in this puzzle.” She shrugs and goes back to the computer. She pulls out a sanitizer spray from her pocket and meticulously cleans her prints from everything she’s touched. “I’m sure you’re curious as to what I was typing when I came in.”

“Not fuckin’ really.”

“Well, you should be. It’s your suicide letter! It details all the troubles you’ve had since coming back from the rebellion. PTSD, nightmares, paranoia, the works. How you felt the Church of the Shikon was out to get you because you’re a cyborg. How you killed Sister Sango and Brother Miroku because the _whispers_ told you to. You close the loop nicely. No one will care that a cyborg died. The general public is just as put off by cyborgs as the Church is. And the best part, the Church gets some sympathy for the tragedy and discrimination we are going through – which means more devotees, more money. A win-win in my book, if you ask me.”

She stands and grins before comin’ back to me. I wanna curse her. I wanna scream and rage. But I’m left helpless when she kisses me lightly on the lips and says a simple, “Goodbye, Inuyasha. And thanks again, truly. Initiate Protocol: Romeo Echo India Kilo India – Passcode: Purification.”

I lose all sense of my body as I fall to the floor. I watch blankly as she sashays out the office. Flippin’ off the light and closin’ the door as she goes. My gold eyes glow eerily in the darkness. I start to seize. My comm rings. It goes right to voicemail. It autoplays.

_“Inuyasha - because you keep ignoring my calls, I’m going to have to get the police involved. I’m worried about you. You’ve been acting odd for weeks now and you need to update your software. It can’t wait. I hope you’re alright. Call me back. Please. Call me back. It will be alright, brother – we’ll get you through this.”_

The light from my eyes starts to flicker. I can hear my internal machinery shuttin’ down. I twitch on the ground. Alone. Darkness.

I knew she was trouble the moment I saw her.

It was all just a rookie mistake.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Oh man, this was super tough to write and out of my comfort zone. I’ve never even read a noir style book so it took quite a bit of research and experimentation. And first person stream of consciousness, I’ve decided, is fun, but not my cup of tea per say. I just felt silly writing it haha. But this trope bingo has been awesome challenging myself with my writing. I’m knocking out all the ‘firsts’ that I can. 
> 
> Next prompt is: Science Wizard/The Magic Comes Back!!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!  
> <3FF


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